Wychavon

Wychavon's population grew in the decade leading up to the most recent census. Data from the census also show there were changes in average age, religion and marriage.

The population reached nearly 120,000

Between the last two censuses, the population of Wychavon increased by 3.5%, from almost 113,000 to 117,000.

The addition of almost 4,000 people means this area's population increased at a slower rate than the total population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Wychavon was home to, on average, 1.3 people per football pitch-sized piece of land (about 7,140 square metres).

Population density was lower than the average across the West Midlands

Population density (usual residents per 7,140 square metres) across the West Midlands, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Wychavon

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Wychavon increased by four years, from 41 to 45 years.

This rural area had the third-highest average age in the West Midlands and remained older than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of just over 4,700 people between the ages of 60 and 69 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by just under 5,000.

About 14% of people in Wychavon are aged between 60 and 69 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, West Midlands and Wychavon by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Religion in Wychavon

The number of people in Wychavon that described themselves as Christian increased from about 92,000 in 2001 to just under 84,000 in 2011. This represents a change from 81% to 72% of the local population.

The percentage decreased by less than the average across the West Midlands (from 73% to 60%) and the average across England (from 72% to 59%).

The number of people in Wychavon that described themselves as having no religion increased from about 13,000 in 2001 to just under 24,000 in 2011 (from 11% to 20%). The number of people who did not disclose their religious affiliation increased from just under 7,400 to about 8,100 (from 6.5% to 6.9%).

About 430 people (0.2%) said they identified with a religion other than Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism or Sikhism, up from just over 230 in 2001 (0.4%).

There are many factors that can cause changes to the religious profile of an area, such as migration and varying fertility rates between religious groups. Changes may also be caused by differences in the way individuals choose to self-identify between censuses.

The population who identified as Christian in Wychavon decreased by 9.7 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, West Midlands and Wychavon by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Changing relationships in Wychavon

The proportion of married people fell in Wychavon, but at a slower rate than all other local authority areas in the West Midlands.

Every local authority area across the West Midlands saw a fall in the proportion of married people, as the regional average fell from 52% to 48%.

During this period, Wychavon overtook four local authority areas, including South Staffordshire and Lichfield, to become the West Midlands local authority area with the highest percentage of married people.

In 2011, just under 6 in 10 (56%) people aged 16 and over in Wychavon said they were married, compared with 59% in 2001. The percentage that said they were single increased from 23% to 25%.

The proportion of married people was higher than across the West Midlands

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that that said they were married across local authority areas in the West Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Wychavon residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 7.4% to 4.7% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just over 8 in 10 (82%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 70% in 2001. The percentage of Wychavon residents that described their health as fair decreased from 22% to 13%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 9.7% in 2001 to 6.1% in 2011). Across England, the proportion fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Wychavon decreased by 2.7 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Wychavon, the West Midlands and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Change in work hours

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week increased in Wychavon, but at a slower rate than all other local authority areas in the West Midlands.

Every local authority area across the West Midlands saw a rise in the proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week, as the regional average grew from 1.7% to 3.0%.

In 2011, just over 1 in 40 (2.8%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Wychavon said they had worked less than 16 hours the previous week, compared with 2.0% in 2001. The percentage that worked over 49 hours in a week decreased from 16% to 12%.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week was lower than across the West Midlands

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) that that said they had worked less than 16 hours the week before completing the census across local authority areas in the West Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

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